HART receives approval for work on rail guideway and precast yard

Hawaii's Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation received the green light from the Federal Transit Administration to move forward with $21.8 million in work that includes a precasting yard that will create the concrete guideway for Oahu's rail system.

The FTA issued an approval earlier for $184.7 million to be spent on construction activities for theWest Oahu Farrington Highway and Kamehameha Highway portions of the guideway, the maintenance and storage facility and three rail stations in the Waipahu area.Work is currently underway on the guideway columns and foundations in East Kapolei.

"This is excellent news for Honolulu. It reflects the further confidence the FTA has in this project," HART Executive Director and CEO Dan Grabauskas said. "With the work on the columns underway, this approval will clear the way for us to have the contractor begin work on constructing the guideway and helps ensure we keep the project on time and on budget."

The 20-mile rail transit system from East Kapolei to Ala Moana is expected to open in 2019.